I'm with Andy on this one. The filter will be better solution (note better solution not only solution). On the pneumatic kits I sell I have brass filter. If the end of the pipe goes under water while the air is moving, there might be issues. But this is why I add extra length pneumatic tubing so you can put it high up where you will not get water

I bought all the couplings and piping from Centurion hydraulics. It seem requests for couplings to fit as diff breathers to a 4X4 is not new to them http://centurionhydraulics.co.za/contact.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CasKru wrote:But this is why I add extra length pneumatic tubing so you can put it high up where you will not get water

Some oke on Yotatech reckons one shouldn't put it up too high as it creates a secondary problem with water pressure or something, did not quite follow the logic
Most I've seen put the filters behind brake lights, fuel cap housings, inside the cab etc, even on the roll bar :wth:

It has also been said not to coil the hose/tubing as water/oil trapped in there could prevent breathing; not to use fuel filters and not to use normal PVC tubing (not reinforced).

The only advantage of a fuel filter over any pneumatic type IMO is the added volume, depending on the size of the filter of course...another Mythbusters assignment

CasKru wrote:But this is why I add extra length pneumatic tubing so you can put it high up where you will not get water

Some oke on Yotatech reckons one shouldn't put it up too high as it creates a secondary problem with water pressure or something, did not quite follow the logic
Most I've seen put the filters behind brake lights, fuel cap housings, inside the cab etc, even on the roll bar :wth:

It has also been said not to coil the hose/tubing as water/oil trapped in there could prevent breathing; not to use fuel filters and not to use normal PVC tubing (not reinforced).

The only advantage of a fuel filter over any pneumatic type IMO is the added volume, depending on the size of the filter of course...another Mythbusters assignment

I eventually installed the diff breathers.
On the back diff I routed the pipe inside the cabin.This weekend while driving in the Karoo I got diff/gearbox oil smell in the cab I presume it is from this.Is there anyone else that got the diff breathers inside the cab

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.-Saint Augustine"

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

About the same as Cassie's ones...this set was R350 because of the brass button type silencers that were R90 for the two (after 20% discount, bloody rediculous); only one place had stock...R300 if one takes the plastic sliencers That includes 7m of tubing, 4.2m for the rear & 1.8m odd for the front + 1m extra just in case, and 2 x 1/4" / 8mm female bulk heads, 2 x 1/8" /8mm straight connectors.

A couple of weeks ago I had to replace the difflock indicator sender unit at the diff (the green light was not coming on when the difflock engaged). I noticed at the time that the diff oil was contaminated with water and replaced it. Made a note to myself to install high level breathers when I got the chance. Happened to pass "Techno Hose" (a hydraulic tubing and accessories supplier) today. I have a few of the fittings like Stef bought, correct thread and all, even some other similar ones in both brass and alu that were of the compression type, but wasn't too keen on the pneumatic tubing. Thought I'd pop in there and look to see what they had available .... worst case I would just get the pneumatic tube and step it up to 6mm i/d at the ends to accept the fuel filters. As it turned out he had general purpose reinforced rubber tubing at ½ the price of the pneumatic stuff so I bought 5 meters at R5 per meter and two brass male thread to swage nipples.

That cost me the princely sum of R68.00

Then went past Midas on the way back and got two fuel filters and a bunch of cable ties .... (the hose is 5mm i/d so it will be a tight fit and no clamps required) ... cost me an extra R59.45 ... call it R60

So for less than R130 I have everything that I need to install some high level breathers on the van.

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

That's great (& lucky), always great to stumble upon a few necesities when you're not really looking

Probably would have gone the same route if i could find cheap nipples, or any at all...around these parts most okes only stock 1/4" thread & up, unless you wanna buy those GAV fittings @ BWH for R28 each. Got the push on straight connectors for R10 each, so I thought ah well... and I sometimes over engineer just because I can

Anyway...what size hose did you get? I went for the 8mm pneumatic because of the 6mm inner dia...wondered if I shouldn't rather have gone for 8mm inner?

The i/d will depend on the size of the nipples that you would perhaps use. I was going to go for a 6mm i/d which was the recommended size for the nipples and fuel filters, but when I tried the hose over the nipples in the shop they were pretty firm but not firm emough for my liking (I wasn't going to bother with hose clamps).

I did it all this afternoon .... took me about 40 mins from start to finish (front and back) and it all came together beautifully. Just had a little hassle with forcing the tube over the 6mm nipples of the fuel filters and only because it was plastic and not as rigid as the brass ones on the diffs .... the plastic tended to want to bend, so I just didn't force them fully home.

Will post some pics in a short while ....... just have to re-size.

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Followed the line of the flexi brake pipe .... just allowed a little extra slack

There were ideally placed holes in the firewall which I used to secure the filters. You can see how I doubled back the end of the cable tie so that I could feed it in one hole and out the other without having to get in behind.

Nipple in front diff

Tubes and filters in place

I gave extra slack at the front diff so that the tube would not come down past the chassis rail on full extension. Th reason is because I didn't want it to 'pop past' the chassis rail and possibly get between the bump stops.

I'm normally quite good with estimating lengths since I do it all the time in my work .... I estimated I would require 4 metres, but I bought 5 to be on the safe side. Just as well because I deviated from my original plan and ran above the lip of the tank along the side instead of under (it's tucked away much neater). I also allowed a bit of extra slack at the front diff. I was left with about 650mm so get 5 metres of tube if you intend doing this mod.

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Mud Dog wrote:Then when the diff heats up again, with a filter facing down all the water will be dispelled

Pity those holes don't line up horisontally...just lost half your volume I just couldn't resist

Yeah, those were my thoughts as well ... considered making up some brackets, but wasn't in the mood. I figured, what the hell, if the water gets that high up in the engine bay, I'm already in the dwang. (I've left enough slack to face them down if ever I wanted to change it.)

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

I know this is an old topic . But i am going to need to extend my breathers .. Because they are screwed into the diff with no extensions ...I see you guys are pulling them into the engine bay . From what i understand . Your pulling the rear diff breather all the way from the back into the engine bay ?

Hi Malcolm. Yes, to the engine bay. If the need arises for a deep water crossing, the bow wave in front creates a trough behind that keeps the engine bay from filling with water - behind that trough the water rises to normal height again, so the engine bay firewall is the best place to keep the end of the breather dry.

That being said, most will never do such a deep crossing but most will at some point cross water that is deeper than axle height, so the standard breather is too low. If you're going to extend the breathers, then you might as well go the full mile and take them to the driest point.

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Malcolm, you probably know this, but just in case and for the benefit of those that might not ....

After driving for a while, the diffs will warm up, so does the air space inside and the resulting expansion is relieved through the breather. When it cools down and the air contracts again, replacement air is drawn through the breather. Submersing the axles in water cools it down rapidly and if the breather is submerged it will draw in water, contaminating the diff oil. This will cause damage to the diff if left too long.

Another problem is that if the breather becomes blocked with accumulated dust / dirt or mud (as happens quite often) it is no longer serving it's purpose and the expanding / contracting air will be forced to equalise pressure through the axle shaft seals and pinion seal. In the case of water submersion, it will draw water in through those seals and you have the same result of contamination.

Fitting high level breathers circumvents all these problems and depending on the breather ends and the environ where they are placed, eliminates the possibility of blockage.

If you don't have high level breathers, check the diff oil for contamination after any trip where there has been a water crossing (milky grey or brown oil means water contamination).

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Malcolm I see you have a TW200 - lekker little bike and I enjoy mine as much, if not more, than my XJ750. Where that little thing goes is amazing.

When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!

Thanks Mud Dog . I have specifically not driven through water yet with SFA , Because of breathers being low . I am doing a full oil service in the next week or so . I have just got my hand pump for oil , So looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing exactly what the oil is like in side those diffs . The rear diff is first on my list and then gearbox , as i said it in another thread , The gears are getting sticky when im stationary and the oil is hot .

As for the tw 200 .. Bulletproof bike . well it was until it dropped a valve , But i found a second hand engine for a couple hgrand and she is as good as new now